This invention relates generally to physical exercise devices and, more particularly, to a gyroscope device to be ridden by a human rider.
Presently existing gyroscopes constructed to be ridden by a human rider include three rings arranged concentrically about a center point. An outer ring is mounted for rotation on a frame, an intermediate ring is mounted for rotation on the outer ring, and an inner ring is mounted on the intermediate ring for rotation. In combination, the three axes of rotation of the rings permit the rider to rotate about any axis passing through the center point.
Examples of such presently existing gyroscopes are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,046,721 and 4,799,667. In the existing devices, the axes of rotation of the inner ring and the outer ring, when the rings are coplanar and the rider supported on the inner ring is in an upright position, are co-linear and horizontal. The axis of rotation of the intermediate ring is vertical and 90.degree. removed from the axes of rotation of the inner and outer rings. In this position, which will always be the start position of the gyroscope, it is very difficult for the rider to induce rotation about the vertical axis of the intermediate ring. A difficult and uncomfortable twisting motion about the vertical axis (which bisects the rider's body heightwise) is required. Forward bending at the rider's waist produces almost exclusive end-over-end motion of the inner ring, and negligible rotation on the vertical axis of the intermediate ring. It is virtually impossible for the rider to cause the gyroscope to "walk", which is an upright motion useful for giving the rider an aerobic workout. More specifically, walking involves alternatively swinging the sides of the rider's body forward and backward so that the rider moves with a stiff-legged walking motion. As viewed form the side, any point on the rider's body above or below a generally horizontal plane passing through the common center point of the rings travels along a generally figure eight path. However, the existing human-powered gyroscope devices do not readily permit this motion because of the difficulty in causing the intermediate ring to rotate about the vertical axis.